36 Student starts skills academy to provide free soccer training The Mississauga native said he actually attends one of their By David Lea academies that could have provid- soccer games to see what areas they Oakville Beaver staff ed this training were either too far need help in. A 17-year-old White Oaks Second- away or too expensive. The lesson plan develops from ary School student is bringing the Khanna began offering the en- there. joy of soccer training to youths hanced training to area youths at The students range in age from who might otherwise not be able no charge to get the requisite num- 8-12 while the trainers range in age Friday, September 9, 2016 | September 9, Friday, | to experience it. ber of volunteer hours to graduate from 14-17. Aakar Khanna is the founder of high school. Khanna said all instructors have Play it Forward, a skills academy However, when he had all the sports training experience and with a mission to provide high volunteer hours he needed he kept have been cleared by police to quality one-on-one soccer training going and expanded the program. work with children. to any youth players in the GTA no Training sessions now take place The Mississauga youth is hoping matter their financial situation. in Oakville and Mississauga with to continue expanding Play It For- OAKVILLE BEAVER The academy was founded in new sessions about to begin in ward and is collecting donations March with Khanna, who has ex- Brampton. to cover the cost of renting soccer perience as assistant soccer coach “It just turned into something fields during the winter and pur- with a house league in Clarkson, Aakar Khanna runs a drill with Ethan Bhalla, left, and Bode Ripton at Pine Glen Field in Oakville. Aakar where I didn’t care about the volun- chasing equipment for participat- starting with just one student. founded Play It Forward Soccer Academy. It provides high quality soccer training no matter what financial teer hours anymore,” said Khanna. ing youths. His organization now has four situation a student’s family is in. | photo by Franki Ikeman — Special to the Post “I just really love doing it. When He said part of his motivation for staff who currently train 16 stu- I get a new trainer in I always ask keeping the academy going comes dents. thing.” around,” said Khanna. them, ‘When you’re done your vol- from seeing the youths use the “We limit our training sessions Khanna said his father had a “When I’m with my friends, unteer hours will you keep doing techniques he has taught them. www.insideHALTON.com | www.insideHALTON.com to three players because we want to deep love of soccer and passed that playing soccer with them is prob- this?’ If they say ‘no’ I tell them, “I just watched the first kid I in- make it very individualized,” said love on to him when he was young. ably the most fun I’ve ever had, not ‘Sorry it’s for someone who really structed play a game and I can say Khanna. The White Oaks student has going out and partying. I just have has passion for the sport.’” he has definitely improved in the “One day a week I take three kids played the game competitively for a lot of passion for the sport.” Khanna emphasized what makes areas we’ve covered,” said Khanna. and go to a local field, something the last 10 years. While he enjoyed the game, these training sessions different “That’s awesome to see that I ac- near them, and we do training that “It sounds cheesy, but it really is Khanna said getting high quality from others is that they are indi- tually did help someone out.” is specified for their needs…If they more than a sport. Whenever I’m training to improve his soccer skills vidualized, located close to where For more information about Play are not good at passing we’ll do stressed about something I go to was something that was not avail- the students live, and are free. It Forward visit http://playitforwar- more passing drills or that sort of the soccer field and kick the ball able to him when he was younger. He said when a student begins dacademy.weebly.com/about.html. Red Devils repeat as GHSL champions Coming off a championship season, the juries and short benches, but when it was all Oakville Red Devils could have used a num- over last weekend, the Red Devils had yet to ber of excuses to explain a subpar season in lose a game. 2016. “These ladies had the heart and determi- The under-18B squad didn’t have to come nation to play through punishing circum- up with any, however, after successfully de- stances and found a way to win,” coach Mark fending its Golden Horseshoe Soccer League Twerdun said. Elite Division championship and League In the Cup semifinal, the Red Devils played Cup. with only nine healthy players. Two more The team’s 2016 season was plagued by in- could have sat out because of injury but elected to play, if only to take away alleys and provide support, in 34 C weather. Follow Halton sports on Twitter: Oakville won 1-0 to advance. @postbeaversport (Kevin Nagel, Burlington Post The Red Devils have a few players who Members of the two-time PHSL championship Oakville Red Devils include (front row, from left) Supreet Bhangu, and Oakville Beaver sports editor) Kaelan Peterson, Lauren Georgopoulos, Gillian Day, Jessica Twerdun, Kathryn Manarin and Ella Griffin; (back row) @miltononsports (Steve Leblanc, Milton Canadian turned down National Collegiate Athletic As- Champion sports editor) sociation scholarship offers to play university assistant coach George Georgopoulos, Chantal Pande, Malvina Goral, Steph Pfiffer, Robyn Smith, Kathy Yu, Laura Wu, @herbgarbutt (Post, Beaver, Champion sports Alyssa Walkuski, Sarita MacAldez, Hannah Ritchie and coach Mark Twerdun. | photo submitted reporter) soccer in Canada. Blue Devils U21 team wins another league title The future looks bright for the League1 On- the future of our club,” said League1 Ontario tario Oakville Blue Devils if its feeder team in Blue Devils coach Duncan Wilde. “Santos the Ontario Soccer League’s U21 Elite Divi- was also the leading scorer playing for Burl- sion is any indication. ington in the Ontario Soccer League’s Provin- After winning the Central Division provin- cial Division the past two years.” cial U21 championship last year, the Oakville OSL Provincial U21 Elite Division squad won the Elite Division this season with G W L T F A P a record of 10-1-5, two points ahead of To- Oakville Blue Devils 16 10 1 5 60 11 35 ronto FC (10-3-3). Toronto FC 16 10 3 3 57 17 33 Leading the way for the U21 Blue Devils Sigma FC 16 11 5 0 47 21 33 North Toronto 16 10 4 2 37 26 32 was Oakville resident Matthew Santos, who Vaughan Azzurri 16 9 3 4 45 21 31 led the division in scoring with 19 goals, FC London 16 9 7 0 46 34 27 three ahead of runner-up Mike Matic of Sig- North Mississauga 16 3 13 0 23 70 9 ma FC. Markham City 16 2 14 0 15 67 6 “It shows very positive development for Guelph Oaks 16 1 15 0 9 72 3.